Chapter 205: Chapter 205 - Elder Lady Duanmu Arrives

It was not a simple thing that Elder Lady Duanmu came to the imperial capital for medical advice at the moment but she didn’t arrive with a display of splendor.

After all, given her past identity as a lady of the imperial clan and the current identity as the imperial tomb keeper, she shouldn’t blaze around!

Therefore, after deliberate discussion, the Jian Family decided to let Jian Limiao, together with Jian Xubai and Song Yixiao, receive her while the others of the Family would pay respects to her after she came into the capital.

Because Jian Likuang and Jian Yiyou each married a princess and Elder Lady Duanmu was a female senior, if the two of them came to receive her, their wives should go with them. If the honor guards of the two princesses showed up, how could everything be controlled at a low key?

However, this morning, Song Yixiao just finished dressing up when a servant came from the imperial palace to summon her at the command of the Empress Dowager.

The couple who were going out felt rather surprised. Yet, the servant was sent here simply to deliver a message, who didn’t know any context at all and only said, “Yuguo asked Your Highness to start off as soon as possible!”

“Maybe it has something to do with the case Prince of Yi is investigating, but since it is my grandmother who beckons you, she won’t just look on.” Jian Xubai asked the maid to give the servant a tip and make him wait for a moment. Then he dragged his wife aside and advised, “You just try your best to please Grandmother by then!”

Song Yixiao thought it must be the only reason why she was summoned into the imperial palace. However, when she arrived at Qingxi Hall, it was Yuguo who received her and said, “Her Majesty the Empress Dowager felt a bit tired just now and has gone to sleep, so she ordered me to wait for you here!”

“Thank you!” Song Yixiao glimpsed around and didn’t find Prince of Yi. She realized that her husband might have guessed it wrong and then asked in a low voice, “May I ask why Her Majesty the Empress Dowager wants to meet me?”

Yuguo gave a bitter smile and said, “It is our fault. Her Majesty has a suit of old clothes made more than 20 years ago. The clothes were well kept. Unexpectedly, when I took them out the other day, I found that the clothes were bitten off a piece by bugs! And I am too clumsy to amend it. Then I thought of it that Your Highness was good at embroidery, so I want to ask you for help!”

“You are being too serious!” Song Yixiao heard of her story and couldn’t help feeling relieved, but as she didn’t see the clothes, she still asked cautiously, “May I ask the damaged part…”

“Your Highness, please come with me!” Yuguo led her into the side hall. The old clothes were placed on the long table of the hall, which did look old with apparently discolored fabric and embroidery threads.

Luckily, the damaged part was not serious. After looking it over carefully, Song Yixiao was sure that she could amend it well, “But the threads will be different in terms of color, so the damaged part cannot be fully covered.”

Yuguo said, “Her Majesty said that it would be good enough to amend the damaged clothes.”

Song Yixiao was relieved to hear that. Then Yuguo ordered to fetch the tea and a workbox for her, left a palace maid to assist her and expressed her apology before leaving.

After all, Song Yixiao was working for the Empress Dowager. Although she was proud of her needlework, she didn’t dare to take it lightly. She spent a whole day repairing the clothes. Besides, she even checked the clothes completely twice and made sure everything was fine before sending the maid to inform Yuguo.

After a while, Yuguo came in and felt rather pleased to see the clothes, saying, “Her Majesty said that since it was meal time now, you might as well have supper at the palace before going back home in case you would be tired on the way!”

Then she asked a maid to give her a pair of Ruyi hairpin inlaid with gold and jade, which was said to be a reward from the Empress Dowager to her for repairing the old clothes.

Actually, Song Yixiao really wanted to go back early so that she could know what happened when her husband received Elder Lady Duanmu. However, since the Empress Dowager asked Yuguo to let her stay for supper, she had to accept it with gratitude.

As such, when she returned to Duke of Yan’s mansion, it had almost been curfew.

When Song Yixiao entered the inner chamber, she happened to see Ji Su helping Jian Xubai changing clothes. She asked in surprise, “You are just back too?”

“Grandaunt arrived with cousins and I had a talk with them,” Jian Xubai said, “As you didn’t come even when it was meal time, I knew that you couldn’t come back until now.”

“Her Majesty the Empress Dowager asked me to help amend the old clothes. Yuguo said the clothes were made more than 20 years ago,” Song Yixiao winked at the servants to leave before saying in a low voice, “I didn’t finish the work until the evening. Then the Empress Dowager let Yuguo ask me to stay for supper. Actually, the old clothes are only informal wearing. I can’t understand why Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has kept the clothes for so many years and just can’t wait to repair them when she found the clothes damaged.”

Moreover, although Song Yixiao was good at needlework, couldn’t the Empress Dowager, a woman of an exalted position, find a female embroider to do this? Instead, she summoned a first-rank titled lady into the imperial palace to repair the clothes. Hence, Song Yixiao couldn’t help speculating about it, “What do you think Her Majesty the Empress Dowager suggests by doing so?”

Jian Xubai pondered for a moment and then shook his head, saying, “20 years ago, I was not born yet. I cannot think of any relevant things.”

Before his wife spoke, he said then, “We will talk about it later. Tomorrow, Grandaunt is going into the imperial palace to express her gratitude. If Grandmother asks her to stay for lunch, maybe she won’t be able to return to her dwelling until the afternoon. Therefore, I will ask for leave and come back tomorrow afternoon so as to pay respects to her with you!”

“How come she didn’t go into the imperial palace today?” Song Yixiao finally recalled that Elder Lady Duanmu came back to the imperial capital only because of the approval of the Empress Dowager. By reason, the Elder Lady should express her gratitude to the Empress Dowager as soon as she arrived. However, the Empress Dowager beckoned Song Yixiao to amend the clothes in the imperial palace today!

What on earth was behind this?

She was lost in a fog for the moment!

“Grandmother has considered that Grandaunt was old and she must be really exhausted after a long journey so when she was allowed to come to the imperial capital, she was permitted to enter the imperial palace to meet with Grandmother on the next day of her arrival,” Jian Xubai said calmly, “Moreover, Grandaunt’s wandering arthritis is too serious, which has affected her actions, and the clan of Prince of Chengyang is still plebeian. Without the approval of Grandmother, I’m afraid that the imperial doctors don’t dare to offer the treatment.”

Song Yixiao looked over his facial expression and said, “How was Grandaunt treating you?”

“Just fine,” Jian Xubai stayed silent for a short while and then said, “We met once and she was accompanied by the cousins, so we only exchanged pleasantries.”

Song Yixiao was about to comfort him when he seemed to think of something and said, “After Uncle Limiao told Grandaunt that you were a descendent of Jiangnan Hall, she really would like to meet you and she also mentioned your grandfather.”

“Uncle Limiao has brought about a problem for me. It is Miss Shaomo who told me about Jiangnan Hall for the first time!” Song Yixiao laughed in spite of herself and said, “Besides, I’ve never met my grandfather. Tomorrow if Grandaunt asks me about him, how should I reply to her?”

“I’ve told Grandaunt that you didn’t grow up in the Song Family,” Jian Xubai nodded his head and said, “Grandaunt told me that it was fine. After all, you are a descendent of an old friend. Judging from her tone, she must have a good impression on you.”

Song Yixiao pursed her lips and said, “Hopefully, she won’t be disappointed after she meets me. When I meet her tomorrow, apart from not mentioning Uncle Limiao’s wife, what else do I need to notice?”

Jian Xubai thought for a while and said, “It is two boy cousins and a girl cousin who accompany Grandaunt to the imperial capital. Don’t forget to bring gifts for them tomorrow!”

He added, “According to my observation, they are dressed differently from the people in the imperial capital, perhaps because they have been guarding the tomb and don’t know the fashion here. Send some things to them these days. Now that Grandaunt is sick, she may not be able to take care of these trifles.”

Song Yixiao knew that he was being nice by saying “they don’t know the fashion here”. No matter how celebrated the clan of Prince of Chengyang was back then, how could the clan still live a well-off life after 21 years of abjection?

She nodded.

Then they talked about some more trifles and then went to sleep.

The next morning, Song Yixiao got up two hours later than her husband as usual. After freshening herself up, she had breakfast and had a meeting with the heads of the servants. Jinxun came inside and said, “Ms. Bo is here!”

“Ms. Bo?” Song Yixiao was quite surprised. She hastened to ask the heads of the servants to leave first, “Beckon her inside!”

After a while, Ms. Bo came inside and paid respects to her, saying, “Considering that tomorrow is your birthday, Her Highness the Princess Consort asks me to send the gifts to you. I’m actually here to visit you on behalf of Her Highness!”

“I’m sorry to let Mother worry about me!” Song Yixiao didn’t believe that her mother would send her trusted maid to come here only to bring the birthday gifts for her. As expected, after exchanging pleasantries, Ms. Bo hinted that Song Yixiao should send away the others and then asked, “It is said that Your Highness is not going to hold a feast tomorrow? No celebration?”

As Song Yixiao nodded her head, Ms. Bo frowned, “Her Highness found it hardly possible upon hearing of that. So that’s really the case? It is not difficult for Her Highness to guess why you make such a decision. Yet, have you thought of this? Whether Her Highness the Grand Princess or Her Highness the Commandery Princess, their positions have been deeply entrenched among the nobles! Therefore, even though they didn’t hold a big feast or dress well to celebrate their birthday, no one dares to look down on them! But Your Highness…”

She was an old maid who watched Song Yixiao grow up and Wei Mengying’s position was currently higher than Song Yixiao, so she could directly talk bluntly even if it was a bit offensive, “After all, you’ve just been married into the purple. Over the several months, it is said that you’ve been deeply adored by Duke of Yan and also remain dignified before the Grand Princess, but this is your first birthday after you are married and you just let it be. What will the others think of this?”

By then it was not a big deal that the outsiders suspected Song Yixiao of falling into disfavor, “It is just at the beginning of the year. There are a lot of festivals coming. People always say what everybody says and they will regard you as a push-over. When more and more people come to make trouble for you, you will really be in big trouble!”

She was not frightening Song Yixiao, “That’s what Her Highness the Princess Consort experienced back then!”

Song Yixiao only considered that since her mother-in-law and sister-in-law didn’t hold a birthday feast this year, as a junior, she would overstep the rites if she held a pompous birthday feast. Moreover, she didn’t want to bother to do so. However, due to Ms. Bo’s reminder, she also found it inappropriate and then said resignedly, “But tomorrow is the ninth day of the second lunar month!”

She also had to pay respects to Elder Lady Duanmu this afternoon!

“Now there is only enough time to hold a family feast!” Ms. Bo sighed, “It’s a pity that Her Highness heard of this yesterday, or Her Highness would have reminded you earlier. Regardless, the feast must be held. If you find that it is too late, Her Highness asks me to stay and do you a favor.”

“I feel sorry already for you have to come here specially for me. How can I bother you again?” Song Yixiao stayed alerted. Now she finally gained control of the back yard. How could she let others interfere? Even her mother’s maids couldn’t! Neither was it bearable even though it was temporary!

Therefore, she refused the kind offer of Wei Mengying and her maid, “After all, the family feast doesn’t need to be too serious. Now it is a good chance for Qiaoqin and the other maids to practice their skills in case that they may make mistakes on the big scene in the future!”

She only mentioned Qiaoqin out of the four chief maids surely because she wanted to show respect for her mother and Ms. Bo. After all, “Mother has done me a big favor by letting Qiaoqin accompany me to the mansion when I got married. She is sensible, calm, smart and capable. Since Ms. Zhao left, she has been the most assuring maid by me. After all, she is a maid trained up by Mother and you!”

“It is great that Your Highness is confident!” Ms. Bo saw through her defense. Her eyes had a glint of dissatisfaction but it was immediately covered. Then she said, “Her Highness only hopes that you can live a good life.”

After saying that, she left then.

After she left, Song Yixiao hastened to beckon Qiaoqin and Jinxun, “Tomorrow we will hold a family feast. Now work on the invitation cards now! Just write that I should have sent the invitation before but as my stepmother had the difficult labor the other day, I forgot about this out of worry and I hope to have their understanding!”

After amending the loophole of her birthday reluctantly, Song Yixiao was not in a mood to summon the servants’ heads back. After sitting there in a trance, she realized that it was late. Then she beckoned listlessly Yuedeng and Liyu inside to serve her, “It’s time for me to dress up and get ready to meet Grandaunt!”